Difference between pharmaceutical approval processes in Russia and the West / why are phenibut, phenylpiracetam, etc, not prescription medicines?

[Vastness]

Posting in this section as I figured it's the best chance of getting some informed insight into this question I've been wondering about.

Could anyone shed some light on the differences between the pharmaceutical research & approval process in Russia, compared to the Western world - specifically as it relates to the reasons why substances which are undoubtedly effective at doing something, are just seriously under-researched outside of Russia. For example, those mentioned in the thread title - phenibut, and phenylpiracetam.

One might argue they are of dubious real benefit for any real condition, but surely the same could be said for any number of members of the absurdly sized family of benzodiazepines, for example, in the case of phenibut... and at the moment it seems it's just not known either way, as a lot of these compounds have been essentially ignored by Western researchers. Why is this? If I were to guess I would assume it is simply down to economic machinations, that companies stand to profit more from substances they invent, research and manufacture themselves... is this the sadly blunt reality, or are there any other factors at play?

I wonder also what the approval process is like in Russia - the various tidbits of information I've read previously indicate that it is perhaps less strenuous than the FDA approval process, for example. The relative lack of a lot of research into the above mentioned substances, as well as other less well known ones, compared to vaguely equivalent medicines out of "big pharma" elsewhere, would seem to support this too...

 

[Hornywhenhigh]

Part of it is because "big pharma" doesn't want the research done and the substances approved because they know that if they were then they would lose money on the meds that they are producing and selling. They are the ones who really control what substances get properly researched.

 

[AlphaMethylPhenyl]

Social custom, regulation, lobbying against approval if it would displace or reduce profits of a medication already approved in the West. But the West overall and the United States push different benzos usually, though.

All I can really say in specifics is that GABAergics fit nicely into society that already drinks.

Also, if it doesn't produce a high reliably, it isn't likely to be made illicit.

I don't know much about Russia. I think that they just recently, or never had, any public clinics for addiction. Methadone and subxoone are looked down at, or even prohibited.

 

[hydroazuanacaine]

phenibut is a gag drug. tolerance increases at a rate that makes it pointless. dependence develops several times faster than any other drug i’ve used in my life. it’s low on therapeutic effects. it’s like alcohol in that it’s a dirty mish-mash of unpredictable effects. it’s like kratom in that it attracts inexperienced drug users that are vulnerable to cult-ish beliefs surrounding its positive effects and safety profile. i doubt it’s prescribed often in russia. at any dose, it only produces effects for a few days.

while benzos have their own issues, they are vastly superior to phenibut for any purpose except developing a splitting headache.

 

[S.J.B.]

Part of it is because "big pharma" doesn't want the research done and the substances approved because they know that if they were then they would lose money on the meds that they are producing and selling. They are the ones who really control what substances get properly researched.

"Big Pharma" is not a homogeneous entity. It is a number of companies that compete with each other and, these days, get a good deal of their pipeline by acquiring biotech startups. There is no cartel that controls or limits what drugs can be properly researched. You can start a company tomorrow and research whatever substances you like (assuming they're not controlled substance, of course).

The presence of drugs that are approved in Russia but not is the U.S. is probably due to more-lax safety/efficacy standards in Russia and and/or intellectual property issues.

 

[Xorkoth]

phenibut is a gag drug. tolerance increases at a rate that makes it pointless. dependence develops several times faster than any other drug i’ve used in my life. it’s low on therapeutic effects. it’s like alcohol in that it’s a dirty mish-mash of unpredictable effects. it’s like kratom in that it attracts inexperienced drug users that are vulnerable to cult-ish beliefs surrounding its positive effects and safety profile. i doubt it’s prescribed often in russia. at any dose, it only produces effects for a few days.

while benzos have their own issues, they are vastly superior to phenibut for any purpose except developing a splitting headache.

It probably shouldn't be widely available to anyone with a credit card, but it's one of my favorite drugs. If used 1-2 times a week, or for specific occasions, and if it's dosed right (which takes a variety of trials to figure out how to do - too little and there are no effects, too much and you have a terrible headache and body aches and dysphoria and extreme sleepiness), it is absolutely lovely, euphoric, confidence boosting, sex enhancing, makes me feel like I'm having the best day. It's also amazing for performing music (probably partly due to utter elimination of stage fright). If taken daily, yeah, tolerance raises through the roof. I have been addicted to it a couple of times, even at once every 3rd day. At that rate I got the same effects from it every time at the same dose. When I was at every other day my dose slowly raised but I got the same effects every time. The only time I couldn't get the positive effects is when I took it daily. I actually cold-turkeyed from a year of daily use and it sucked but I was fine. I have found it pretty easy to maintain control over it, it takes so long to kick in that it's not compulsive for me. So when I've been addicted and wanted off, I've done a slow taper and jumped off and it hasn't been too bad. I've been using it on and off for 13 years now and I still love it.

I think phenibut effects some people differently than me though because it seems that some people say it's a crap drug and worthless and the withdrawals are horrible and tolerance makes it so you can't feel it really fast. IMO it's certainly not a drug for daily use. I use it for times when I need a confidence boost, basically, which is when I'm playing shows or maybe going to a party with people I don't know, or something. It really is one of my favorite drugs among all drugs, if I could only take 5 drugs onto a desert island with me, I'd take phenibut as one of them.